University of Missouri to name new chancellor

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri has a new chancellor for its flagship campus.

University system President Tim Wolfe plans to announce the new hire at a Thursday morning news conference in Columbia. The campus leader will replace Brady Deaton, who retired in November after nine years as chancellor.

The university hired an executive search firm to help recruit candidates for the confidential search. An 18-member advisory committee representing faculty, staff, alumni and students interviewed an unspecified number of finalists.

The announcement caps an aggressive process that began quickly after Deaton's June retirement announcement. Similar searches for college chancellors and presidents often take six months to a year.

The looming arrival also signals a short stint in charge for interim chancellor Steve Owens, the university system's top lawyer. Owens was previously the interim system president for 13 months after Gary Forsee's January 2011 resignation. He returned to his job as general counsel once Wolfe took over in February 2012 and was not a candidate for the permanent position.

Deaton remains in Columbia as executive director of a new international development research center bearing his name.

Wolfe previously said he didn't expect the university's Board of Curators, who oversee the four campuses, to actively participate in the search, and nor do university rules require their involvement. But after several closed-door meetings in recent weeks, they likely were told of his choice in advance.

This announcement will be live audio streamed at www.umsystem.edu. A video recording will be available on the MU website later in the day.